I cant believe the centrist voter myth still exists. Swing voters are not voters who are unsure due to them being rather moderate or bipartisan on issues, its due to them having extreme views on issues that belong to both parties.
A Swing voter may want Single-Payer and a Federal Jobs guarentee, but hate those "damn gays" and want to close the entire border down.
A Swing voter may want egalitarianism in government, while supporting oversees wars and abolishing the progressive tax system.
By moving to the center on an issue, for a party in general, you alianate the swing voters who you would have had in your camp, while also not being able to win the other swing voters, since they may have other exteme stances on other issues. The only ones you would win over would be the small percentage of people who voice that issue as their main concern, and have a moderate stance on it.
This is why Sanders, in the 2016 primary, got a lot of support from Indies and first time voters, his "extreme" positions on issues drew in the swing voters who cared about it. Thats how Corybn was able to do the same thing. Thats how Trump was able to win the Obama-Trump voter.
In individual races, its fine to be rather centrist or have moderate positions on issues, such as gun control or immigration, but for parties, there has to be a line.
You want to see what happens when you run to the extremes? Take a look at how Barry Goldwater did in 1964, and how George McGovern did in 1972. Both got destroyed.
Yet Reagan ran on Goldwater's platform and Obama ran on McGovern's platform.
And this is where personality politics comes into play: both Reagan and Obama were charismatic and likable individuals. Although I don’t think either of them were THAT radical...
